Moments after a Solar Flare Scrambled the Dish on my Trailer

Moments after a Solar Flare Scrambled the Dish on my Trailer
 
 
 
You said this piece has been in your family since the early 1950s, when your mother purchased it at an estate sale. Correct? Well, the Philadelphia Chippendale side chair was a prime example of true artisan craftsmanship in colonial America from about the mid-1750s to just after the Revolution, as some of the finest cabinetmakers in the world resided in Philadelphia during this period. The rocaille shell, acanthus leaves, and cabriole legs with claw-and-ball feet were hallmarks of this style.
However, this is not a Philadelphia chair. You have the Hoboken stool. This was a poorly-conceived furnishing that no doubt would have been an embarrassment to someone had that person possessed any sense of taste. Note the lack of technical proficiency in the assembly, as well as, the absence of any artful lines. Frankly, cordwood has more value. Had this been a Philadelphia chair, I would expect it—in excellent condition and with no restoration—to bring up to $35,000 at auction, certainly enough to have someone well on the way to a gently-used double wide and a new satellite dish. Your mother chose poorly, but I appreciate your bringing it to the show so our viewers might know what to avoid when browsing those treacherous junk sales. Thank you so much.
 
originally published in Philadelphia Stories